Shigeyoshi Ichino was born in 1942 in Tamba, Japan, where pottery has been made for seven hundred years. He is the eldest son of Tanso Ichino and was brought up in a potting environment.

In 1969 he went to study at the Leach Pottery in St Ives, and after a year there embarked on a tour of Europe. His friend John Bedding joined him in Villenaux, France for a joint exhibition.

After his return to Japan in 1973 he held simultaneous one-man exhibitions in Japan and London. These were followed by succession of successful exhibitions. In 1979 he was host to John Bedding who spent a year at the Ichino pottery learning traditional Japanese techniques.

Shigeyoshi likes to combine traditional and modern methods to make usable pots.